Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[Parker in NYC]

Wait wait wait. But that poster saw them on the shelves and thus can properly conclude that no one bought PatF merch and it wasn’t successful.

Oh, my bad!

 

[lebeau]

The hill itself is definitely not, but the whole track is a little more exhilarating with the twists and small rapids.. Once upon a time there used to be a bigger (and better) log flume where Diamondback now sits.

I remember River Country and the Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal well. I miss 'em. But things change. I like Diamondback too.

Now don't get me started on the Enchanted Voyage!

 

[thomas998]

Disney's The Princess and the Frog Merchandise in High Demand Weeks before Film's Debut!

GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Weeks before the theatrical release of Disney’s upcoming animated feature The Princess and the Frog , th...

wdccduckman.blogspot.com

Note that your article is specific to Disney Stores. Which really doesn't mean that much considering those stores will push a particular item like made near the time of a new movie release. Go to any Disney Store near a new movie release and you'll see a huge push to sell the merchandise associated with that new movie.

See clearance merchandise at a Walmart and you have a pretty good indication of whether the product was really in demand.

 

[orlandogal22]

I'd wager more people are familiar with the troubled history of the source material than you realize.

I was talking with a reader on my blog last year about Disney and Song of the South. The reader indicated that all traces of the movie were obliterated by Disney in the eighties aside from bootleg stuff. He was shocked to discover that there was a theme park attraction based on the movie in several locations worldwide and Song of the South merchandise available for purchase on the Disney Store website.

If he was shocked, then I wouldn't really call him educated or up-to-date on park activities, given SM has been around since 1989. So, if he indicated Disney obliterated it in the 80s, how was he unaware of the ride in 1989?

 

[WDW Pro]

Sure but I'd check the rest of your post. But if you want to continue to engage, move it to the Politics forum.

Did you report the posts about neo nazis infiltrating the magic kingdom, or are you just the gatekeeper for what historical facts get through?

 

[SirLink]

So I don't agree with this re-theme any bit, but I have been informed that a re-theme was always in the works to get the four Br'ers out.

As early as mid 2011 Iger and his cronies, goon squad, advisors have been looking through their library to weed out problematic attractions, music, movies, tv shows. With that being said I've been told this project has been kicking along from that time going with a re-theme with no IP, to Brother Bear, to Pocahontas, to Princess and the Frog where we have ended up.

This re-theme project was at one time of a much larger project in Frontierland, no one I have spoken to knows whether that is still currently the case, but part of it was to tidy up us 'problematic elements' from operational stand point and what Iger's group sees as a problematic everything from Bears to Indians to Authors.

The new Splash Mountain will have fewer AAs more mist projection and screenz in general, but Disney got its toofer. Disney gets rid of the problematic four Br'ers and in its place gets a easier/cheaper to run attraction.

But why now I hear you cry ... it wasn't meant to be. This was apparently going to be announced at a later date. Two schools of thought inside Disney PR. One says capitalize on the whole movement going on now, the other says wait until people start going back to their lives so any change came from Disney wanting to change it not '[some of]the people'.

Disney has created a bizarre situation now where every man and their dog now thinks they can change the company due to Disneys own failed astroturfing attempt to create faux outrage has sabotaged themselves.

 

[Bleed0range]

But I would argue we're not - in 2020 - building rides out of "them" in a present-day sense. The ride was originally conceived by Baxter in the very early 80s and wasn't opened until '89. 30-40 years ago in totality.

Again, I would argue that the average parkgoer - I include international here as well - is unaware of the origin of the source material, nor would they ever care (for better or for worse) of the origin of the source material as they progress throughout their life, nor would they immediately disassociate themselves with riding the ride as based on a movie from the 1940s as the ride's source material.

Furthermore, as I referenced, removing it will not solve, nor heal anything. Anti-SM / SotS folks will just move on to their next target. That's the reality of this situation, whether or not it's deemed wholly appropriate or laudatory to remove or not.

Yeah, but you know what I meant. We wouldn’t build this ride as it is today.

Again, this is tied directly to America’s past issues with race. Of course they’ll move onto another thing once this is gone, there’s going to be a lot more change. And a lot more people will be upset. But it will be for the best. A generation or two from now people will probably look at everyone who got so upset over things like this, old confederate statues and Aunt Jemima pancake mix and it will be absolutely clear to them who was right or wrong as we actually become a nation where everyone has equal rights as always promised.

 

[Tori]

PATF is one of my favorite movies. I understand why they're changing the theming but I think PATF deserves better than a log flume.

 

[WDW Pro]

You really are a bundle of fun.

And very capable of proving everything I say.

 

[disneygeek90]

It seems Disney is trying to intentionally lose its happy place!

No, just the laughing place.

 

[Parker in NYC]

And very capable of proving everything I say.

Still waiting for Frozen II to bomb.

 

[orlandogal22]

Ultimately, the issue is that Splash Mountain put its foot in its mouth since it was built. The IP it used in its creation was neither beloved or sought after and already deemed controversial when it was made. The original IP thus did not generate more interest or merchandise for the ride at all.

Should we blame Baxter then? Since people seem to love to blame others. Should we ask him why he ever thought of such a thing to get this whole seemingly-so-ugly ball rolling?

Splash Mountain was originally conceived in the summer of 1983 by Imagineer Tony Baxter while stuck in rush-hour traffic on his way to work. He wanted to attract guests to the often-empty Bear Country land in Disneyland, with the only attraction as the Country Bear Jamboree (which later closed in 2001), plus a souvenir shop, and make use of the Audio-Animatronics from America Sings, which was also poorly attended. It was Dick Nunis who insisted that the Imagineers create a log flume for Disneyland, but the Imagineers were initially unenthusiastic about it, insisting that log flumes were a too ordinary theme park attraction to include in a Disney park. While trying to solve the problems of including a log flume, bringing people into Bear Country and reusing the America Sings characters, Baxter thought of Song of the South.

 

[Parker in NYC]

Note that your article is specific to Disney Stores. Which really doesn't mean that much considering those stores will push a particular item like made near the time of a new movie release. Go to any Disney Store near a new movie release and you'll see a huge push to sell the merchandise associated with that new movie.

See clearance merchandise at a Walmart and you have a pretty good indication of whether the product was really in demand.

I didn't know your Walmart was the flagship store.

 

[lebeau]

Then why would they do it if nobody cares? None of what you’re saying makes sense.

I didn't say no one cares. The average theme park visitor isn't going to care about the things you mentioned. I will refresh your memory:

Well, it helps combat the negative press they’re going to get from reopening so soon. It will help sell more merch. It will give them reason to rationalize the cutbacks to Epcot. It will also allow them to cut back on the animatronics and practical effects for a cheaper to maintain attraction. You’re getting screen mountain whether you think you are or not.

 

[21stamps]

I remember River Country and the Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal well. I miss 'em. But things change. I like Diamondback too.

Now don't get me started on the Enchanted Voyage!

Enchanted Voyage will forever be “The Smurf Ride” to me

Although I liked the old log flume, I would much rather have Diamondback in its place. That’s kind of my point about Splash Mountain though.. Diamondback is infinitely more popular than the Keelboat Canal, the replacement was a huge improvement over what was there.
With Splash, we aren’t getting a huge improvement, we’re getting a princess overlay in the most gender neutral area of the park. I can’t say that’s bigger and better.

 

[Parker in NYC]

Did you report the posts about neo nazis infiltrating the magic kingdom, or are you just the gatekeeper for what historical facts get through?

For someone who gets the gates slammed on me, I'm no gatekeeper.

 

[LittleBuford]

The new Splash Mountain will have fewer AAs more mist projection and screenz in general

Is this insider info?

 

[Kate F]

The loss of the music will automatically make the new one inferior

 

[orlandogal22]

Yeah, but you know what I meant. We wouldn’t build this ride as it is today.

Again, this is tied directly to America’s past issues with race. Of course they’ll move onto another thing once this is gone, there’s going to be a lot more change. And a lot more people will be upset. But it will be for the best. A generation or two from now people will probably look at everyone who got so upset over things like this, old confederate statues and Aunt Jemima pancake mix and it will be absolutely clear to them who was right or wrong as we actually become a nation where everyone has equal rights as always promised.

No, in this case, I only went by your specific choice of words.

And I'd wager to tell you that there will never be a utopia. Because that's life, and that's the world we live in.
Removing Splash Mountain and Aunt Jemima does absolutely nothing. Nothing at all.

 

[Brer Oswald]

I didn't say no one cares. The average theme park visitor isn't going to care about the things you mentioned. I will refresh your memory:

Sure, but it’s incentive for Disney to do it. The announcement creates good PR for the cancel mob. Half of the benefits have already been reaped!

The cost saving helps Disney a lot.